E till. 15 
 
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The Capture and Destruction of 
 Columbia, South Carolina 
 
 FEBRUARY 17. 1865 
 
 PERSONAL EXPERIENCES AND RECOLLECTIONS OF 
 
 Major H. C. McArthur 
 
 Fifteenth Iowa Infantry Volunteers, A. D. C. to General W. W. Belknap, 
 
 Commanding Crocker's Iowa Brigade, 
 
 Seventeenth Army Corps 
 
 22 
 

Headquarters Crocker's Iowa Brigade 
 Fifteenth Iowa Infantry Volunteers Regimental Association 
 
 Washington, D. C, August 1, 1911. 
 To Crocker's Iowa Brigade: i^q, 
 
 One of Iowa's boy soldiers from 1861 to 1865, and proud of it, and 
 knowing the keen and patriotic interest always manifested by her citizens 
 in the exploits of her " Boys in Blue," I beg to submit the follov/ing 
 narrative of my personal experiences and recollections of the capture and 
 destruction of Columbia, S. C, February 17, 1865. This story of fact is 
 the fulfillment of a promise made years ago to the Fifteenth Iowa and 
 Crocker's brigade comrades. In recent years many of my comrades in 
 Iowa have repeatedly called my attention to accounts in the National 
 Tribune, written by the members of the Thirtieth Iowa Infantry, relat- 
 ing to who was the first to enter and raise the Stars and Stripes in the 
 city of Columbia, S. C, February 17, 1865. I was a member of the 
 Fifteenth Iowa Infantry, and at that time aide-de-camp on the staff of 
 Brig. Gen. William W. Belknap, commanding Crocker's Iowa Brigade, 
 Seventeenth Corps, and being the person who first suggested the under- 
 taking of crossing the Congaree River in front of the city, and urging 
 the attempt be made, with others successfully accomplishing what we 
 started out to do, namely, raise the first flag over the statehouse of South 
 Carolina, I have a right to speak authoritatively of the enterprise. 
 
 For several years after the war closed we often heard through the 
 National Tribune accounts of how members of Colonel Stone's Iowa 
 Brigade, Fifteenth Corps, entered the city first and raised their colors on 
 the statehouse. All of these erroneous assertions ceased in 1873, when 
 the claims against the United States for damages of about a million and 
 a half dollars were brought by British subjects before the British Claims 
 Commission for cotton destroyed during the destruction of Columbia. It 
 was then the facts were officially brought out. The Confederate general, 
 Wade Hampton, was the principal prosecuting witness. If it could be 
 proved that any of Sherman's army set fire to the cotton the United States 
 would be liable to the value of the cotton destroyed. General Hampton 
 testified very positively that members of Sherman's army set fire to the 
 cotton. General Sherman did not believe his soldiers fired the cotton. He 
 was not where he could see, yet he believed he was nearer the advance of 
 his army when entering the city than General Hampton was to the rear of 
 his army when leaving it. General Sherman, continuing, said : " I now 
 
remember, however, that a small party from the Seventeenth Army Corps 
 crossed the Congaree River in front of the city, advanced through its 
 streets and raised their colors over the statehouse in advance of all 
 other troops, and reported #ragglers of the rebel array pillaging stores and 
 firing the cotton which was piled along the main street ; that I [Sherman] 
 had treated the exploit informally at the time, but the actors, if living, 
 will now come forward as the most important witnesses for the Govern- 
 ment, because m\ ers of that party entered the main street of the city 
 three-quarters of an hour before the advance skirmishers of Colonel 
 Stone's brigade of the Fifteenth Corps." (See letter of General Sherman, 
 Sept. 12, 1873, in Washington Daily Chronicle, Sept. 15, 1873.) 
 
 WHO FIRED THE COTTON. 
 
 General Belknap, our brigade commander, was Secretary of .War at 
 the time and furnished General Sherman with the names of the officers of 
 the party. The officers were Lieut. Col. J. C. Kennedy, Thirteenth Iowa, 
 Maj. William H. Goodrell, and myself, of the Fifteenth Iowa, both mem- 
 bers of Belknap's staff at the time. Each was directed to execute his 
 separate affidavit setting forth the facts, and all of us were communicated 
 with by the Seci'etary of War August 22, 1873, and directed to hold our- 
 selves in readiness to appear in Washington before the British Claims 
 Commission. Our several affidavits were regarded conclusive. They 
 were deemed sufficient to establish the fact that the cotton destroyed at 
 Columbia was fired by stragglers from the Confederate army, and the deci- 
 sion was rendered in favor of the Government. Thus our early, sudden, 
 and successful dash for the statehouse that eventful morning saved to 
 Uncle Sam a vast amount of money. 
 
 WE WERE EYEWITNESSES. 
 
 Neither Colonel Stone, any of his brigade, nor any of the Fifteenth 
 Corps were called on for evidence; They were not aware of any of these 
 facts, all of which occurred before their entrance into the city, but did 
 occur while four Crocker Brigade men were rushing along Main Street 
 that morning. 
 
 For many years after 1873 no attempt was made to deprive the 
 Thirteenth Iowa fiag the well-meiited honor of being placed first over 
 the statehouse. I have been fre(juently urged by many comrades, and 
 others, to make a detailed statement of the inception and consummation 
 of the undertaking. I realize the importance, too, of each participant in 
 actsof this character making statements of the things as they actually 
 occurred. 
 
 am 
 
 i'.j 
 
THE EXPLOIT. 
 
 Though more than forty-five years have passed since that morning, the 
 stirring events, and they were stirring, are as clear to my mind as if they 
 occurred but yesterday. 
 
 Thursday, February 16, 1865, Crocker's Iowa Brigade — the Eleventh, 
 Thirteenth, Fifteenth, and Sixteenth Iowa Infantry — Fourth Division, 
 Seventeenth Array Corps, went into camp on the west bank of the Con- 
 garee River opposite Columbia, S. C. General Belknap and his staff' 
 were viewing the city from the top of a bluff" when General Sherman 
 and his staff" rode up. After taking a survey of the city through his 
 field glass. General Sherman turned to General Belknap and said, " Gen- 
 eral, it will be a great honor to the men who first enter the city and un- 
 furl the first Stars and Stripes on that historic old statehouse." In the 
 old statehouse building was where the first ordinance of secession was 
 passed. I heard General Sherman's remark. I turned to Major Goodrell, 
 also of the staff", aud said, " Let us make an effort to cross the river." 
 He enthusiastically agreed. Belknap's permission was obtained and 
 Lieutenant Colonel Kennedy, a brave and daring young officer in com- 
 mand of the Thirteenth Iowa, with a squad of his regiment, volunteered 
 to accompany us. 
 
 CROSS OVER IN A LEAKY BOAT. 
 
 The bridge, about half a mile below, had been destroyed by the Confeder- 
 ates, but we found an old rickety, leaky, flat ferryboat, similar in shape to 
 that used on the Iowa rivers in 1856-1860. For packing purposes the 
 negroes found a bunch of flax tow ; we also used some of our flannel 
 shirts, torn in strips. We labored all that afternoon and late into the 
 night repairing, calking leaks, making oars, etc. The negroes were of 
 great assistance to us. They were greatly surprised that we would at- 
 tempt the crossing in that old boat, declaring it would not hold together 
 half way across that rough and swift river. The Confederate pickets on 
 the opposite side of the river were firing on us, aud our pickets returning 
 the fire vigorously. Three of our men were wounded the afternoon of 
 the 16th, one killed and one wounded the morniug of the ITlh. About 
 9 a. m., Friday, February 17, 1865, all was ready. Recent shots gave 
 us every reason to expect hot work while crossing or when reaching 
 the other shore. We divested ourselves of shoes and outer garments, with 
 instructions to jump into the river if the firing got too hot and endeavor 
 to keep the boat between ourselves and the enemy and drift, if possible, 
 back to the west bank. Everyone not at the oars had a gun with supply 
 of ammunition, each keenly watching the other shore, ready for action. 
 
When the word was given to " cut loose," we numbered twenty-four, 
 including the three officers. As the boat swung out into the stream three 
 of our number jumped into the river and waded back; this left twenty- 
 one all told. We pulled for a small island near the other shore, reach- 
 ing it without much difficulty. Some of us crawled up through the willows 
 to " spy out the land ; " I assure you we scanned the bank in every direc- 
 tion most carefully and critically, but could see no one. We knew the 
 Fifteenth Corps was to come down from the north after crossing the 
 Saluda and Broad Rivers, which form the Congaree a short distance 
 above Columbia. We returned to the boat, donned our clothing, pulled 
 boldly and rapidly around the point of the island to the shore, and rushed 
 up the embankment ready for most any kind of reception. To our 
 great surprise and delight we found the Confederate pickets had been with- 
 drawn ; we could see them about a quarter of a mile down the river 
 marching away. A half hour's delay in starting on our part had, un- 
 questionably, saved the lives of our squad from shot or drowning. We 
 landed at the foot of a street running east and w'est and near an old mill. 
 Arranging with negroes to return with the boat for more troops, we 
 started immediately for the statehouse. 
 
 IMPRESS A HORSE AND BUGGY. 
 
 At a cross street we intercepted a man in a one-horse buggy, rushing 
 south, evidently intending to escape the Fifteenth Corps, little expecting 
 to meet us. It took but a moment to convince the owner that Ave needed 
 the rig w^orse than he did. Dumping him and effects into the .street. 
 Major Goodrell and the color bearer, with the flag, banner, and a gun, 
 jumped into the buggy ; Colonel Kennedy and myself, back to back, sat on 
 the cross bar over the back spring and literally " hung on." After direct- 
 ing the remainder of our party to follow rapidly, Goodrell put whip to the 
 horse and he was soon on a dead run. We ran east until arriving at what 
 seemed to us a main street ; with the statehouse appearing at the head of 
 it. Here we turned south. No troops. Blue or Gray, in sight. Putting the 
 horse under whip again we were soon going at breakneck speed. Within 
 two blocks of the statehouse, in a side street, half a block ahead, I discov- 
 ered a squad of Confederate cavalrymen formed in line, ready to fire. I 
 shouted "lookout" to Goodrell, but before he could stop the horse we had 
 covered the half block and reached the cross street where the cavalry had 
 been standing. They had fired, overshot us, whirled, and were galloping 
 away frantically. I sprang to the ground, snatched the gun from the 
 buggy, and fired ; one of the riders fell on the edge of the sidewalk ; his 
 body lay there most of the day. That shot was said to have been the last 
 
fired at a Confederate in Columbia that day. At tliin time we four men 
 were at least half a mile from the balance of our party, the nearest Union 
 troops, and surrounded by enemies. The mayor was at that time, as we 
 learned later in the day, out making a formal surrender of the city to 
 Colonel Stone, of the Fifteenth Corps. The rebel soldiers and citizens who 
 witnessed our a})proach undoubtedly knew the city was being formally 
 surrendered and supposed the Union Army were at our heels. Had the 
 facts been known to them, they could, and certainly would, have over- 
 whelmed and perhaps killed us four and captured our flags. Immedi- 
 ately after the firing ceased many citizens came out of what we supposed 
 to be a hotel near us, ^Vhich, I now learn, was the old city hall. One 
 kindly disposed individual had a pitcher of brandy and asked us to 
 take a drink ; but we declined. We stood near the buggy and back 
 to back the better to observe the approach from all directions, ready 
 to act promptly on the offensive or defensive. The color bearer reloaded 
 his gun, and with our revolvers drawn, with no gentle words either, we 
 admonished those approaching to "Stand back, we wall fill full of holes 
 the first man getting too near, stand back." Very soon the negi'oes came 
 rushing out shouting " Bres de Lo'd de Yankees hab come." I called 
 one colored fellow, asking him if he knew where the old mill was located, 
 and he said he did. I told him a squad of Union soldiers were coming 
 up the street from the old mill, to run fast, meet them, say the flag had 
 been fired on and to come doublequick. I think that boy jumped 20 feet 
 the first jump, shouted " Bres de Lo'd," then flew. We remained in our 
 isolated and rather perilous position until the rest of our party came up. 
 On their arrival we deployed across the street and advanced to the Capitol 
 buildings. We found two, the first unfinished, of granite and brick, 
 doors not hung, no floors, no sash in window frames, no roof, no plaster- 
 ing, a mere skeleton ; work thereon seeming to have been abandoned 
 months before. Major Goodrell took the banner of the Thirteenth Iowa 
 and, accompanied by the banner bearer, Jacob Binkerd, Company B, that 
 regiment, unfurled it from the top walls of that building. 
 
 Colonel Kennedy, the color bearer, with the flag, and myself crossed 
 the street southwest, not over 200 feet away, to the old frame statehouse, 
 ran up the outside steps and began forcing the doors open. The janitor 
 came hurriedly with the keys, unlocked the doors, directed the way to the 
 garret and to the top of the building. I distinctly call to mind how terri- 
 bly dark and musty it was up in that old garret. We could not see our 
 hands before us. The ladder leading up to the trapdoor was what we 
 wanted. I succeeded in finding a small j^iece of scantling and soon 
 knocked off" a piece of siding to admit light. Then we all made a break 
 for the ladder and soon were on top and had the flag flying. 
 
•f^-^i^:,^t#^%. 
 
 Raising the Flag on the old Statehouse at Columbia 
 LOCATION OF THE FIFTEENTH CORPS. 
 
 At this junctui-e -we could see the deployed and advanced skirmishers of 
 the Fifteenth Corps about a mile and a half north. In a few minutes the 
 skirmishers rallied, then we felt much easier. Almost immediately our 
 battery west of the river began a rapid fire. Then the Fifteenth Corps 
 skirmishers deployed again on the doublequick. Imagine our anxiety. 
 We feared the enemy had passed between us and the river, attempting to 
 turn the right of the Fifteenth Corps. If so, a battle would be fought 
 and probably death or capture would be our portion. A few minutes 
 seemed like hours. Our battery ceased firing and it dawned upon us 
 that the firing was a salute to the success of our undertaking. General 
 Belknap and hundreds on the west bank of the river were anxiously 
 watching for the appearance of the flag, and when Old Glory appeared 
 the order to fire the salute was given and performed with a will. When 
 the firing began, Colonel Stone, of the Fifteenth Corps, who was then re- 
 ceiving the surrender of the city, did not understand it any more than 
 we did. It was at this time to which the Thirtieth Iowa comrades refer, 
 when Colonel Stone drew his revolver and informed the mayor in 
 words with fire attached, if he proved treacherous his life would pay the 
 penalty. The mayor fell on his knees, calling on God to witness his sin- 
 cerity and honesty in surrendering the city ; that he had no knowledge 
 whatever of the cause of the firing. Maj. R. D. Cramer, Thirtieth Iowa, 
 
who had command of the skirmish line, and who, I understand, advanced 
 and received the mayor and party with white flags, was present and 
 heard what was said. He has often told me about it and of their great 
 surprise and anxiety when the battery on the other side and down the 
 river from them opened fire. The major said he had his eye on the 
 marshal, and would have shot him at the least show of treachery. I know 
 Major Cramer ; he would have done just what he said. A braver or 
 more gallant soldier Iowa did not enlist. At this point I desire to call 
 particular attention to the fact that the identical time when the firing of 
 our battery began and the city was being formally surrendered to Colonel 
 Stone, of the Fifteenth Corps, and Major Cramer was deploying his skir- 
 mishers again, and on the doublequick, the little squad from Crocker's 
 Iowa Brigade, Seventeenth Corps, had already taken forcible possession 
 of the city of Columbia, and were at that moment on the old and new 
 State buildings with the Thirteenth Iowa flag and banner unfurled, while 
 the advance skirmishers of Stone's brigade. Colonel Stone and the Thir- 
 tieth Iowa flag with them, were yet one and a half miles north of the 
 statehouse. Shortly after the firing (the reason for which was our ap- 
 pearance on the statehouse with our flag) we were overjoyed to see the 
 Fifteenth Corps skirmishers rallying again, and soon our troops marching 
 toward the city. Colonel Kennedy directed our color bearer to remain 
 with the colors, after which he and I went below. In a short time there- 
 after, while standing in the rotunda and facing the outside door, the first 
 person we saw enter was a lieutenant, rushing into the building with a 
 flag, from the Ninth Iowa Infantry, of Stone's brigade, and inquiring the 
 way to the roof. I asked him what he wanted to do. " Place my flag 
 on this building," he answered. I took out my watch and said, " Lieu- 
 tenant, we have had our flag flying three-quarters of an hour." In great 
 amazement he said, " The hell you have, where did you come from ? " I 
 answered, " From Crocker's Iowa Brigade, Seventeenth Corps," and ex- 
 plained how we had crossed the river, etc. His very sensible remark 
 was, " Well, it is all right so Iowa gets the honor." I have always re- 
 gretted not getting his name. If he is living I would like to hear from 
 him. I feel sure he will corroborate all I have said with reference to 
 what passed between us on that occasion. 
 
 THE THIRTIETH IOWA REMOVES THE FLAG. 
 
 I now come to an unexpected movement on the Columbia trestle board, 
 wherein the Thirtieth Iowa becomes very conspicuous. They say, " Every- 
 thing is fair in war." I guess it is. At any rate, in this case it was a 
 mighty good (I thought serious) joke on that squad of daring and usually 
 
vigilant boys of Crocker's Iowa Brigade. Let me tell it. A.fter Colonel 
 Kennedy and I had left the top of the building our color bearer con- 
 cluded to get a relic of some kind from that old historic building. 
 Securely fastening his flagstaff, thinking of course all would be safe, as 
 we were now surrounded by our friends, he went down to the hall of rep- 
 i-esentatives to see what he could find. On his return the flag was missing, 
 and two soldiers of the Thirtieth Iowa had their flag unfurled. Colonel 
 Stone's brigade. Thirtieth Iowa in it, had, about noon, taken formal pos- 
 session of the city and were establishing provost guards. The Thirtieth 
 Iowa boys declared and insisted no flag was found on the building when 
 they appeared on the roof Of course we knew they were not telling the 
 truth, and told them so in very plain words ; but we were not at that 
 time able to find any trace of our flag or stafl!". I assure you we were 
 not in a very amiable frame of mind about it. When our brigade came 
 over in the evening they would have come pretty near whipping their 
 weight in wildcats had it been necessary to have recovered our flag. 
 We did not see our flag again for two weeks. On March 3 our brigade 
 had gone into camp near Cheraw, S. C. Troops were passing and some 
 of the Tliirteenth Iowa boys strolled down to the roadside and some of 
 the passing regiments asked what regiment was camped there. " Thir- 
 teenth Iowa," was answered. " Wonder if you would like to have your 
 flag again." "Yes, we would," was answered eagerly, "What regiment 
 is this ? " " Thirtieth Iowa." Several members of the Thirteenth Iowa 
 followed the Thirtieth into camp, and found their flag i^ecreted with one 
 of the companies. They secured and returned it to the Thirteenth Regi- 
 ment amid great rejoicing. Each reader may figure out for himself how 
 it was possible for Stone's brigade to have planted their flag on the state- 
 house first, keeping in mind the fact that while the battery was firing a 
 salute for us the Thirtieth Iowa with its flag and Colonel Stone were a 
 mile and a half north of the statehouse. Had they destroyed our flag 
 and not acknowledged the fact, it would have been more difficult for us 
 to have satisfied others that our claim was true ; but such brave and loyal 
 Iowa boys could do no damage to Old Olory, they loved it as truly as we 
 did ; they preserved it to return to U8. Our finding them "with the goods," 
 however, was proof positive that our flag was flying over the statehouse, 
 and fi)und by them, as they afterwards admitted, when they first appeared 
 on the building. If those two comrades who found the Thirteenth Iowa 
 flag on the building unguarded, took it down, took the flag from the stafl^, 
 threw the stafl'down in that dark garret, secreted the flag and carried it 
 away with them, as they admitted and explained to the Thirteenth Iowa 
 boys when the flag was returned, will now come forward and tell us all 
 about it, all will enjoy the narrative. We have forgiven you boys years 
 
and years ago. For over twenty years after the war I was in business in 
 Memphis, Mo., and lived a near neighbor to Maj. R. D. Cramer; he 
 resides there yet. I remember well when W. D. Sigler, of his regiment, 
 brought the major in my place of business and introduced him as the 
 major of his regiment. Thirtieth Iowa. After a few words, I said, " Oh, 
 yes, I remember the Thirtieth Iowa, can never forget it, they stole our 
 flag from the statehouse at Columbia, S. C." This salutation soon de- 
 veloped a pleasant surprise for both of us. Our conversation soon brought 
 out the fact that he w^as the officer who was in command of the advance 
 skirmishers of the Fifteenth Corps, and I was one of the men of Crocker's 
 Iowa Brigade, Seventeenth Corps, perched on top of the old statehouse, 
 at Columbia, S. C, watching keenly every movement of his line of skir- 
 mishers. I referred to their rallying as we first appeared on the roof with 
 our flag, that almost immediately our battery opened fire, then his skir- 
 mishers deployed again, on the doublequick ; how very anxious we were, 
 not knowing at the time the cause of the firing. Major Cramer said, 
 " Yes, I will never forget those anxious moments." Then he explained 
 how surprised they were at the firing, that Colonel Stone at the time was 
 receiving the surrender of the city, and suspecting the mayor of treachery, 
 he. Stone, jerked his revolver out, telling the mayor his life would pay 
 the penalty if he proved treacherous, as told previously herein. All i)f 
 this was reviewed by Major Cramer in a most interesting manner. The 
 acquaintance formed at that time has ripened into life-long friendship. 
 
 SAW THE COTTON BURNERS. 
 
 As we dashed up Main Street that eventful morning we passed in the 
 middle of each block large piles of cotton. Confederate soldiers were 
 pouring turpentine on the cotton and setting fire to it. The bales had 
 been ripped open and tufts pulled up so that it would burn the more 
 readily. Many stragglers of the Confederate army were pillaging stores. 
 During the day attempts were made to extinguish the fire in the cotton ; 
 but in the evening when the wind blew a gale the smoldering flames in 
 the cotton were fanned into glowing embers again, which was soon com- 
 municated to the frame buildings and all destroyed. General Belknap and 
 staflTwere in the saddle nearly all night rendering aid where possible. 
 
 COMMENDED FOR THEIR SUCCESSFUL EXPLOIT, 
 
 The undertaking of crossing the rugged Congaree in that old rickety 
 boat was, as expressed in orders, hazardous and very dangerous. Gen. 
 Giles A. Smith in official orders commended the officers and men for their 
 successful exploit. 
 
AN HISTORICAL FACT. 
 
 That the Hag of the Thirteenth Iowa was the first Old Glory to float 
 over that hotbed of secession, Columbia, S. C, February 17, 1865, three- 
 quarters of an hour before any other flag could, under the circumstances, 
 have been in the statehouse building, is an historical fact which can not 
 be successfully contradicted. Take your medicine boys, there is glory 
 enough for all. There is no discount on the grand fighting record of 
 either the Fifteenth or Seventeenth Corps. They, as the Army of the Ten- 
 nessee, stood shoulder to shoulder from Shiloh to Washington. Neither 
 ever left a battlefield in defeat, neither Grant nor Sherman ever felt un- 
 easy with them in front. But you must admit, my comrades, that Crocker's 
 Iowa Brigade got away with your entire baggage wagon on that occasion. 
 The next minute, had it been necessary, we would have stood with you to 
 the death in defense of the dear old flag. 
 
 VISIT TO COLUMBIA, S. C. 
 
 Several years ago, with my wife, I visited Columbia, S. C. We were 
 on the ground near the old mill site. I passed again over the route of our 
 dash for the statehouse of over thirty-seven years before. The unfinished 
 building of February 17, 1865, had been completed only a few months. 
 The State oflicers were old Confederate soldiers ; they were very courteous 
 and glad to see me. I informed them I was one of the party who raised 
 the first flags over the old and new State buildings February 17, 1865. 
 At my request one of the oflScers accompanied me to the top of the new 
 building. The ground north appeared about the same as in 1865. I 
 told him of the position and firing of our battery on the opposite side of 
 the river. I also pointed out to him the location, as it seemed to me, 
 where the Fifteeenth Corps skirmishers were in line and the point of 
 lallying. He said, "Well, that is about the location where the mayor 
 surrendered the city." I asked him the distance from the statehouse. 
 He said, "A mile and a half or two miles." I then explained to him 
 fully our exploit, etc. He seemed very much interested, remarked that 
 it seemed almost miraculous that we made that crossing in safety in that 
 old boat. The current of the Congaree River is very swift there now, as 
 it was in 1865. 
 
 AN EYEWITNESS TO THE FIRING OF COLUMBIA, S. C, 
 
 There is one important feature about this Columbia achievement never 
 given the consideration deserved. The result of that exploit, and that 
 
 10 
 
alone, secured the necessary evidence which saved the Government not 
 only about one and a half million of dollars, but refuted the dastardly 
 charge made by the Confederates that "Sherman's army pillaged and 
 burned a city which had been surrendered in good faith." I met and 
 indignantly denied this charge when visiting Columbia a few years ago. 
 I have read two books, one by a Confederate colonel, James Gibbes, en- 
 titled " Who Burned Columbia," and the other, entitled "Butler's Cav- 
 alry," in which they charge us with burning the city and other crimes. 
 For garbled extracts, outrageous exaggerations, and misrepresentations it 
 would be hard to get more in two books. The State officers expressed a 
 desire to have me meet the author of one of the books— he resided there— 
 and talk over matters. I had no objections ; but I did not meet him as 
 he was out of the city. I learned, however, that he, at the time of our 
 entering, was leaving the city with Hampton's cavalry. He, in his book, 
 says, "I was 11 miles from Columbia that night," yet he claims to know 
 just what occurred there. I told those present that I was an eyewitness 
 to the Confederate soldiers firing the cotton and pillaging the stores, and 
 it must be apparent to them that I knew more about it than he did, and 
 I most certainly do. 
 
 Persons reading "Who Burned Columbia" and "Butler's Cavalry," 
 and believe what they read there about Columbia, without investigation, 
 as so many do, must conclude that General Sherman, his officers and men, 
 were the worst lot of unhung scoundrels on earth. Happily there is no 
 foundation in fact to their serious charges. They are " ropes of sand." 
 The city was destroyed and pillaged, that is certain. I was an eyewitness 
 thereof. I was right there on the spot. Saw the first cotton fired that 
 morning, saw the first pillaging done. It was about 10 a. m., February 
 17, 1865, and at that time the Confederate soldiers were pouring terpen- 
 tine on and firing the cotton as stated above. At the same time I wit- 
 nessed other Confederate soldiers with silverware, jewelry, and other 
 goods coming out of stores already broken into, and other stores being 
 broken open. Let me mention one instance of pillage which drew our 
 especial attention. Within two blocks of the old city hall, where we 
 were fired upon and forced to halt, a Confederate cavalryman backed his 
 horse up in front of a closed store door, spurred the animal quick and 
 hard, causing it to kick viciously, and the doors flew open, and a crowd 
 of Confederate soldiers were there ready for business, and the pillaging 
 continued. We four men witnessed all of these acts of pillage by the 
 Confederates while passing down and halting on INIain Street about 10 
 a. m., an hour before it were possible for Stone's brigade to have reached 
 the city hall. We four were at this time one-half mile in advance of the 
 remainder of our own squad and a mile and a half in advance of Colonel 
 
 11 
 
Stone's brigade, yet all of this robbery, plundering, and firing is charged 
 to General Sherman and his army. The time of day the mayor started 
 to the front, the surrender made to Colonel Stone, and his entry into the 
 city, as recorded by the Confederates, agree very well with our own. 
 General Hampton, Dr. Goodwin, the mayor, and Messrs. McKinzie, 
 Bates, and Stork, the three aldermen who accompanied the mayor, and 
 other citizens, all agree it was 9 o'clock a. m. when General Hampton 
 notified the mayor, who, with the three aldermen, proceeded to the front 
 and surrendered the city ; and all agree, too, the surrender to Colonel 
 Stone was at 10 o'clock a. m. This also agrees with the account by Gen- 
 erals Sherman and Howard. It was very little after 10 a. ra. when our 
 party of four in the buggy reached the scene of depredations along Main 
 Street. I find my own time of the entry of Colonel Stone and his brigade 
 and the account of the Confederates substantially agree. Mr. Bates, 
 one of the aldermen who accompanied the mayor and returned in the 
 carriage with Colonel Stone, says, "It was about 11.30 a. m. when we 
 arrived;" Colonel Gibbes says it was 11 a. m. when Colonel Stone 
 reached the city. Although the Claims Court years ago decided the re- 
 sponsibility of the fire rested with the Confederate army, the charges 
 against Sherman and his army continue to this day to be iterated and 
 reiterated. Only recently I received a letter from Mr. Brooks, the author 
 of " Butler's Cavalry." Although I made no inquiry regarding the destruc- 
 tion of Columbia, he could not resist the temptation to draw my attention 
 to his account of Sherman's destruction of Columbia. I know positively 
 Sherman's army was not responsible, and I know just as positively the 
 Confederate soldiers were responsible, for its destruction. I was there, 
 Mr. Brooks was not. I saw tufts of burning cotton from the piles fired 
 in the morning by the Confederate soldiei's blown to buildings, the build- 
 ings ignited and consumed. I saw burning shingles carried by the wind 
 and light on buildings blocks away and soon the buildings would be in a 
 blaze. Mr. Brooks did not, he was 11 miles away. 
 
 I am loth to dwell on these scenes of destruction. In my fii-st article 
 on the capture and destruction of Columbia, I had no desire or intention 
 to particularize regarding specific acts of Confederate soldiers, but I find 
 to protect our army from unjust criiicism it is necessary to tell all the 
 facts. For over forty years these charges have been continually and 
 persistently hawked about. Tliey are false. It matters not what orders 
 were given by Generals Beauregard and Hampton regarding the burning 
 of the cotton. The fact remains and can not be successfully contradicted, 
 that the cotton was being fired, which caused the destruction of the city, 
 and stores pillaged, by the rear guard and stragglers of the Confederate 
 army before we reached city hall on Main Street about 10 a. m., where 
 
 12 
 
we wei'e fired upon by what, we were informed at the time, was a part of 
 the rear guard of Wheeler's cavahy. The book, " Who Burned Cohim- 
 bia," says Wheeler's cavalry passed down Main Street at 10 a. m., leav- 
 ing the city, which leads me to remark, had our arrival been a few 
 minutes sooner we would have encountered that force and been killed or 
 captured; no doubt about that. If the one-hundredth part of the mean 
 deeds found mentioned in these books, asserted by the committee of 
 " prominent citizens," and shown in the affidavits of sixty most " respect- 
 able residents," all charged to General Sherman and his army, were true, 
 then the British Claims Commission would not have been five minutes 
 deciding the Government liable for the value of the cotton destroyed. 
 But the court did not so find, neither will any well informed and reason- 
 ably disposed person after careful investigation believe the charges 
 true. Some of their charges are so rediculously absurd it is surprising 
 that men with any claim to fairness would have printed such trash. 
 For instance, they claim to have found a letter, written by one Lieu- 
 tenant Myer, of Boston, Mass., belonging to a Massachusetts regiment, 
 to his wife, saying among other disreputable things, "That the regu- 
 lar forage detail was instructed daily to bring in all of the jewelry, 
 silverware, etc., and have it divided among the officers and men. That 
 he had at least a quart of valuable rings and pins, etc. That one of the 
 corps commanders (a major general), disguised in rough clothes, accom- 
 panied the foragers and proved one of the most accomplished pillagers." 
 Both books publish this " prepared for a purpose " letter, and General 
 Hampton and a number of the " prominent citizens " all refer to it as fact. 
 I was in active service nearly four years, with Grant, then Sherman ; I 
 was in the city of Columbia from about 10 a. m., February 17, 1865, 
 until early morning of the 18th. In company with Major Goodrell took 
 advantage of the horse aad buggy we had captured and visited all parts 
 of the city during the day of the 17th. Then when my horse came over 
 in the evening I was in the saddle most of the night, riding with General 
 Belknap from point to point in the city, aiding many helpless and ao-ed 
 people, ladies and children, frequently calling on the passing soldiers for 
 assistance, and all responded cheerfully ; none declined. I continued as 
 aide-de-camp through to Washington, always in position to see or learn of 
 wanton acts or plunder. I saw no such disreputable actions as are charged 
 to our army. They are not true. That there were isolated acts of pillage 
 and crime we do not deny. There were bad men in the array as well as 
 out. Four years of terrible warfare as experienced by our army must 
 have produced some bad characters. It was not surprising if men were 
 found here and there given to unlawful practices at times. No doubt 
 there were such in our army as well as in the Confederate army. I 
 
 13 
 
have no doubt there was destruction of property by some of our escaped 
 prisoners. I will give a case. A citizen came to Major Goodrell and 
 myself with the information that four escaped Union soldier prisoners were 
 secreted in the garret of his house. He had been caring for them the 
 best he could. He pointed out his house. We found the four soldiers as 
 he had said. Although emaciated and little vitality left, they became 
 almost wild with joy and excitement when they were sure we were real 
 friends from the Union Army. They hugged us, they shouted, laughed, 
 and cried. I remember one, a Sixth Pennsylvania soldier, and I feared he 
 would go crazy sure enough. They told us of their abuse and hardships, 
 especially of some "respectable citizens" of Columbia, too cowardly to 
 enter the Confederate service, they and their wives would call at the 
 prison, spit in the faces of the prisoners, call them measly Yankee dogs 
 and poltroons, should be shot down like curs, and all manner of insult to 
 helpless prisoners of war. I admit my own blood boiled with indignation 
 during the narrative. During the night, when the fire was well under 
 way, I met three of these men with other soldiers, and they were hunting 
 the house of the men, and the men themselves, who had treated them so 
 shamefully. I have always been satisfied if they succeeded in finding 
 their man or men, justice would be meted out. Who dare say these Union 
 soldiers were not justified in meting out justice as they thought best. 
 However, we quit the strife in 1865, and we were in hearty accord with 
 Grant's " Let us have peace," but the South Carolinians continue to sow 
 seeds of discord from generation to generation. On July 15, 1911, the 
 Washington Post contained the following dispatch : "After the South 
 Carolina board of education adopted Thompson's ' History of the United 
 States,' for use in the public schools during the next five years, Gov. Cole 
 L. Blease objected to the book because it was neutral on the question of 
 the responsibility for the burning of Columbia in 1865. The governor 
 insisted that the book should state that General Sherman burned Colum- 
 bia, though this is a moot point. The author, ' Waddy ' Thompson, of 
 Atlanta, Ga., to-day consented to put the blame on General Sherman. 
 The author is a son of the late Hugh Thompson, formerly governor of 
 South Carolina, and later Assistant Secretary of the Treasury under 
 President Cleveland." Lovers of truth, justice, and right, what do you 
 think of the above perversion of history ? Is it not time to protect the 
 truth ? We have remained silent for over forty years. Forbearance 
 has ceased to be a virtue. We feel justified in bringing to public 
 attention truthful statements for the purpose of protecting our record 
 against the persistent and false accusations we find hawked about from 
 year to year. South Carolina was the first, and her prominent citizens 
 and politicians the most determined, in acts of disloyalty. They pro- 
 
 14 
 
claimed that " One South Carolina soldier could and would whip three 
 Yankees ; " that " South Carolina would end the war speedily ; " " Just 
 stand back and see South Carolina do the fighting ; " and much of such 
 nonsense. So long as the horrors of war were co&fined to other States, 
 just so long was South Carolina bold, defiant, and full of self conceit. 
 The moment the effect of real war was felt within her own borders, that 
 minute she began to whine and lament in a very loud voice. They have 
 made more complaint, fuss, and misrepresentation than all the other States 
 together. No wonder the people of Georgia hoped " that Sherman and 
 his army would give South Carolina hell — ^just what she deserved ; " and 
 in North Carolina, the expression, " South Carolina has felt the heavy 
 hand of war, she got hell from start to finish." The Southern States 
 seemed to find consolation in believing punishment would be or had been 
 meted out to South Carolina by her being in the track of active warfare. 
 She should have taken her medicine without so much murmuring. At 
 any rate it would have been the manly part to have accepted her own 
 responsibility instead of blaming Sherman and his army with destruc- 
 tion and pillage caused by the actions of her own soldiery and citizens. 
 General Sherman and his army had no desire to leave their homes to 
 be at war in South Carolina or anywhere else. They went, however, 
 with the same feeling of determined patriotism expressed to this same 
 South Carolina by President Andrew Jackson, many years ago when she 
 attempted to secede, repeated by us in 1861, viz, "By the eternal the 
 Union must and shall be preserved." We four men, dashing along Main 
 Street, Columbia, S. C, that morning at that opportune time, are the 
 only ones from whom the correct information as to who fired the cotton 
 and first pillaged stores could have been secured. When we appeared 
 the Confederates soon scampered away. Save the members of our party, 
 and we were very busy at something else, there were no Union soldiers 
 within a mile and a half of that point. No one there to do such acts 
 except the Confederate soldiers, and they were industriously applying the 
 torch and pillaging when we appeared along Main Street at about 10 a. m. 
 
 The exploit, too, was attended with as much or more danger to life 
 than many acts which called for medals of honor. Our aim was to suc- 
 ceed in our undertaking regardless of danger. We succeeded, and in its 
 accomplishment the Government was greatly benefited, and we are glad. 
 
 The large Confederate flag, photograph herewith, was captured during 
 the exploit by Maj. William H. Goodrell, Fifteenth Iowa Volunteers, by 
 him found stretched along the upper edge of the north wall of the un- 
 finished new Capitol Building, as he, accompanied by the banner bearer, 
 Jacob Binkerd, Company B, Thirteenth Iowa Volunteers, displayed the 
 Thirteenth Iowa banner over the walls thereof. The flag is made of blue 
 
 15 
 
Flag captured by Major Goodrell, Fifteenth Iowa Infantry, 
 at Columbia, S. C, February 17, 1865. 
 
 buutiug, size 20 by 36 feet ; a palmetto tree 10 feet iu height forms a 
 white insert in the center of the flag ; a white insert in the shape of a 
 crescent, measnring 4 feet from point to point appears in the upper left- 
 hand corner. 
 
 The following are the facts connected with the capture of this flag. 1 
 was present, know it to be correct, and am glad to give this statement to the 
 memory of one of the most gallant of soldiers and brave as the bravest. 
 The flag was captured at Columbia, S. C, Friday, February 17, 1865, by 
 then First Lieut. William H. Goodrell, Fifteenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, 
 picket officer on the staff of Gen. William W. Belknap, commanding the 
 Third (Crocker's) Iowa Brigade, Fourth Divisiofi, Seventeenth Army 
 Corps, and deposited with the State Historical Society of low-a, at Iowa 
 City, Iowa, by General Belknap. 
 
 H. C. McArthvr, Fifteenth loim Volunteers; 
 Brevet Major, Aide-de-camp to General Belknap, 
 
 Commanding Crocker^s Iowa Brigade, 
 Fourth Divinon, Seventeenth Army Corps. 
 
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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
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